A MAN has been locked up for illegally contacting a woman he had previously attacked and threatened with a knife.

Richard Musgrave, 40, was originally sentenced by a judge at Carlisle Crown Court in January.

Musgrave was jailed for 450 days for assaulting his then partner, Stacey Nicholson, and possessing a blade.

He was also made subject to a two-year restraining order.

This prohibited him from contacting or approaching Miss Nicholson, and from going within 500 metres of any property at which she is living or present.

But following his release from that prison sentence, Musgrave flouted that order.

He was handed an additional eight-week jail term.

And following his release from that, he contacted her again, on November 11, by visiting her home.

Musgrave, previously of Flimby but now of no fixed address, admitted flouting the restraining order and was sentenced today (THURS) over a video link from custody.

Alaric Walmsley, prosecuting, said of the original assault on Miss Nicholson, in Flimby: "He grabbed her around the throat, held her down, shouted at her, accusing her of infidelity. She ran away from him up in the house.

"He threatened her with a knife. Miss Nicholson then escaped from the house and ran to a friend's house. Mr Musgrave chased her with the knife and ended up at that particular house."

It was on November 11 that the second restraining order breach occurred.

Police went to Miss Nicholson's home on November 14. She allowed officers to carry out a casual search to look for Musgrave, a drug addict with 152 offences to his name. His wallet was found in the living room following an earlier visit.

Brendan Burke, defending, said of that breach: "He went there deliberately. She deliberately invited him in order to get money."

Mr Burke suggested: "He ought to have a sentence which would result in his immediate or imminent release."

But Judge James Adkin noted: "He might have got that, but this was the second time he has done it."

Musgrave was jailed for 14 weeks.

The restraining order will remain in force.